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King County
Executive Office
Ron Sims, King County Executive 701 Fifth Ave. Suite 3210 Seattle, WA 98104 Phone: 206-296-4040 Fax: 206-296-0194 TTY Relay: 711
Image: King County Exeutive Ron Sims, News Release

Oct. 15, 2007

Sims’ 2008 budget invests in children’s health, flood protection, criminal justice, transportation and treatment for mentally ill

Executive says county needs tools from state to finish annexation initiative

King County Executive Ron Sims today presented a 2008 budget that invests in protecting people, the economy and transportation mobility. Sims called on the County Council to continue the fiscal prudence practiced in recent budgets as the county faces difficult years ahead.

"We must proceed with caution," said Executive Sims. "This budget is strong on fiscal discipline and lean on new, discretionary initiatives. We are doing all we can with the tools we have to protect the health and safety of our citizens, deliver urgently needed services and respond to new needs."

The budget is consistent with King County Council policies and invests in the council's Priorities for People and council approved initiatives such as the new Flood Control Zone District, the mental illness and chemical dependency action plan, the Children's Health Initiative, the Gang Suppression Unit and Animal Control. Voter-approved Transit Now and Parks and Open Space levies allow for major new investments in hybrid buses, new transit service hours, increased maintenance of parks and acquisition of more trails and open space.

Transmitted with the budget is the Executive's second annual performance report, AIMs High: Annual Indicators and Measures report to increase transparency and accountability in government.

The Executive proposes $2.4 million for 32 new corrections officers and funding for 14 new sheriff's deputies; $1 million for children's health; $32 million to begin repair of aging river levees; $50 million in new services for the mentally ill and drug dependent to reduce homelessness and impacts on criminal justice system; investments in transit services to keep up with inflation; $1 million for new staff and shelter improvements for animal care and control; and grant money to increase public dialogue and feedback on the county's performance measures.

The proposed 2008 budget of $4.8 billion includes, for the first time, a biennial budget for Metro Transit Division. This biennial budget, which allows improved planning and delivery of service, accounts for a majority of the 25 percent increase in the county's 2008 budget over the 2007 adopted budget of $3.86 billion. The current expense budget is $660.5 million. Over 71 percent of the Current Expense Fund goes to the law, safety and justice system including, courts, prosecutor's office, public defense, jails and law enforcement.

During his budget speech to the County Council, other elected leaders and stakeholders, Sims praised his budget and finance staff for their revenue planning and management that led the nation's top bond rating agencies to reaffirm the King County's AAA credit rating less than two weeks ago.

However, Sims warned that revenue limitations and increasing demand for county services could saddle the 2009 budget with deficits and deep cuts to vital and popular programs unless state government acts to help complete the Annexation Initiative. He said the easy annexations that took most of the county's sales tax base are complete, now the state needs to help with the harder annexations that don't include a lucrative tax base.

King County receives the vast majority of its revenues from property taxes. With the voter approved Initiative 747 capping property tax growth at 1 percent, the county is not able to keep up with inflation, population growth and demand for services that are causing the annual budget to grow by 4 to 5 percent. The budget office projects a $25 million deficit in 2009 even with the conservative approach to the 2008 budget.

"Counties like King County can no longer shoulder this growing burden without some help from Olympia." Sims noted that unincorporated King County with a population of nearly 370,000 people actually qualifies as the second largest jurisdiction in the state.

Consistent with County Council policy to pay 25 percent of transit operating costs from the farebox, the budget includes the first bus fare increase since 2001 to help maintain the existing system. Fuel costs have tripled and operating costs have increased 37 percent during those seven years. The 25 cent fare increase would give Metro Transit greater financial stability as it serves the fastest growing increase in ridership in the nation, and fares would more closely match neighboring transit agencies' fares.

Money generated from the voter-approved Transit Now Initiative is financing expansion of the transit system with new buses and new service hours. Metro will invest $115 million of Transit Now money over the biennium to: buy new buses; increase vanpooling; and add 90,000 annual service hours to developing areas of East and South county, to high ridership and core routes and to service partnerships with major employers and cities.

Executive Sims called upon the council, acting as the newly created Ferry District, will approve funding to potentially expand water taxi service and add passenger service between Vashon Island and Seattle. The council will be considering a property tax increase to fund the new service.

Funding for the council approved Mental Illness and Drug Dependency Action Plan is included in 2008 with a 1/10 th of a cent sales tax authorized by the State Legislature as an option for counties to fund these services. King County would be the eighth county in the state to implement the tax if the council approves. It would generate approximately $50 million a year and be a major tool in reducing the number of people with mental illness and chemical dependency in county jails and hospital emergency rooms. A report to the legislature shows two dollars are saved for every dollar spent on treatment for this population.

Urgent repairs would be made to the county's aging levees and other flood protection facilities beginning in 2008 with $32 million generated from a new countywide property tax. Earlier the year, the council approved a $335 million, 10 year plan to strengthen regional flood protection. A new study shows that a shutdown of economic activity in the county's floodplains would cost the region $46 million a day.

The Children's Health Initiative is on track this year to enroll more than 1,000 children in publicly-funded health insurance programs that they were eligible for but not enrolled. The new budget includes $1 million to enroll another 3,000 children in 2008.

In addition to funding general operation of the county's Parks Division for the next six years, the voter approved levies will increase park maintenance and allow investments in new open space and trails as well as provide dollars for Woodland Park Zoo and cities. Together, the two levies are expected to generate $32 million in 2008.

A major increase in staffing at the county's adult correctional facilities is the result of a staffing analysis to determine the most cost-effective combination of full time employees and the use of overtime. The Executive is proposing $2.4 million for 32 new corrections officers to help reduce the use of mandatory overtime and ensure operation of safe, secure and humane facilities.

Three new officers for a gang suppression unit are among the 21 new positions funded in the Sheriff's Office. Other positions include new contract service for Metro, potentially Sound Transit and for two contract cities.

New staff and urgently needed improvements to the shelter in Kent are included in $1 million in new funding for animal control and care services. Five new staff are added to enhance service levels, as well as additional staffing support during the peak season. The budget includes closing the inadequate, aging Crossroads facility in Bellevue and contracting out services for that area. A report commissioned earlier this year by a national expert on animal control and shelters will be delivered in coming weeks and will help guide further changes.

The Executive is transmitting along with the budget the 2008 AIMs High report, the second Annual Indicators and Measures performance report. This report is part of the Executive's on-going effort to increase transparency and accountability in county government, a priority that the council, in its Priorities for People outreach, also found important to the public. The 2007 AIMs High report earned a prestigious national award, the Certificate of Excellence, for public performance reporting from the Association of Government Accountants. This year the Executive is launching an innovative AIMs High Web site, to further public accessibility and increase public dialogue about the county's performance. The 2008 budget includes a grant from the National Center for Civic Innovation that will be used to conduct public outreach and get feedback about the usefulness of the report and the Web site.

 

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  Updated: Oct. 16, 2007